Gov. Cuomo said the gas crisis caused by Superstorm Sandy should ease now that the Coast Guard has lifted the tanker restrictions in the harbor.

Cuomo during a pre-taped interview with Sirius/XM radio, said the Coast Guard closed New York Harbor because containers blew off ships that could cause navigation and other problems, including hull breaches.

That kept gas tankers from coming to New York City.

On Thursday, the restrictions were lifted, Cuomo said.

"The fuel situation should be abated soon," he said.

He warned against price gauging, saying the Attorney General's Office will prosecute anyone who does.

Cuomo during the interview said he has to deal with more natural disasters in his 22 months in office than his father dealt with in his 12 years as governor.

He again blamed what he says is extreme weather situations that he believes New York will be dealing with again in the future.

Cuomo said when the subways and underground infrastructure was designed, it was not done so with major floods in mind.

In the wake of Superstorm, Cuomo says the thing he is amazed at most is how quickly things can go downhill.

Cuomo was asked what has shocked him most as he traveled around following the region following the storm.

"How quickly it can all go bad and how bad it can go," he responded. "We had been talking about the storm and the rain but life was fine and everything was basically fine. And then in a span of 12 hours the world is just turned upside down and how quickly chaos can ensue."

He spoke of a new appreciation of the "delicate balance" presented by an urban environment with high density.

"It's a delicate balance to keep it working well," Cuomo said. "Panic can set in. Chaos can set in."

He mentioned subway stations with water up to the platforms or even the ceilings and flooding that went on in the tunnels for five miles.

"As a tunnel gets pumped, they can go in and fix the wires and the they can run the train and then the train comes online," he said of why the mass transit system is coming back in pieces.

Despite complaints by many, including those in the outer boroughs, Cuomo said he cannot think of anything the government could have done to prepare or respond to the storm any better than it did.

"There's really nothing that can be done when a 10-foot wall of water goes through your house," he said.

The problem is not personal for Cuomo who has several residences, neither of which were impacted by the storm. In this morning's press conference, he stated that he is lifting the tax truckers must pay, in order to expedite the movement of fuel. He admitted that he did not like lifting the tax because the state needs the revenue.

We need to shrink government!

2
posted on 11/02/2012 8:57:46 AM PDT
by NYer
("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)

I’m on Long Island. Gas lines over a 100 cars long at virtually every station that’s still open. Fights have happened all over the place. People have pulled guns on each other in a couple of cases (Riverhead, for example).

The lack of power and heat is bad but most people I know here know SOMEONE they can go to for a shower, sit in warmth.

Holy moly! This is the first I’ve seen it said that the gas crisis is mainly due to the Coast Guard closing the harbor!

Did Obie order that? It was the Coast Guard that managed to make the Gulf oil spill ten times worse than it was, too.

Sure, there are risks of flotsam and jetsam. But that’s what ship captains and their crews are trained for. You just take it slow and watch out for junk. And the Coast Guard organizes the cleanup. Or, better yet, just gets out of the way and lets people do it who know what the hell they are doing.

I am from Long Island and went through several hurricanes, with far less damage. This storm was very different. That said, for decades, the National Weather service has been predicting that NY was overdue for a major hurricane. Did anyone heed their warnings? Lots of talk, plenty of meetings ... no action.

11
posted on 11/02/2012 9:27:13 AM PDT
by NYer
("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)

I am a native Long Islander and went through many hurricanes over the decades with far less damage than this storm. One of the worst events was a freak ice storm that cut a swathe of damage up the middle of the island, back in the late 70s. At the time, I was living in Huntington Station and we went 5 days without power. You're right ... I was able to move in with my grandmother and relished that hot shower and hot food. But, no gas!

Just received a call from the NRC looking for last minute contributions. I told the caller that here in Albany, there are no Romney/Ryan signs anywhere! You would not know there was a presidential race. Now, given the delays downstate in resolving the damage, the frustration of those living through this misery, do you think any of those people would switch their vote to Romney? Just curious to get another New Yorker's opinion.

13
posted on 11/02/2012 9:35:37 AM PDT
by NYer
("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)

I am trying to get a handle on the situation.
I said on another post City living is mostly foreign to me.
Here in the sticks more than one neighbor has chain saws,winches,chains, generators, and sump pumps...?
If need be we drive 50 100 or 150 miles to pick up supplies with a pickup we filled with gas before the storm hit?
Not sure why but there seems to be more people prepared out in the sticks.
Maybe becuase they are aware if something happens they are on their own?
Overall, I’m not sure what a indivual can do in a survival situation if they didn’t ALREADY prepare for it?

14
posted on 11/02/2012 9:47:17 AM PDT
by Leep
(Are you smarter than a 7th grade math student and or Barack 0bama?)

Despite complaints by many, including those in the outer boroughs, Cuomo said he cannot think of anything the government could have done to prepare or respond to the storm any better than it did

Then perhaps he should talk to Gov. Perry of Texas who understands staging relief aid just outside the expected devestation zone. Tanker trucks of fuel, semi trucks of food and supplies, dump trucks for hauling trash and debris, the national guard to render aid would have been a good start. He had ample warning that New York was going to get hit hard.

I think there may be a large number of Staten Islanders who will now pull the R.

It may well extend beyond that, including lower Manhattan, Queens and Long Island. Here is the county results map from the 2004 presidential campaign (Bush vs Kerry). Blue=Bush; Red=Kerry

The majority of New Yorkers voted for Bush but Kerry won the state with the large metropolises. New York is still considered Obama country but, between the carnage in Queens, the long gas lines, the power outages and the slow response from FEMA, I'm betting that a lot of hungry, unbathed residents who have lost their homes or been displaced by water damage, may very well pull the lever for Romney.

23
posted on 11/02/2012 12:55:35 PM PDT
by NYer
("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)

It isnt as if people didnt have time to prepare! Why would a person leave their boat in the water and their car parked where it could be flooded? I don't know if you have ever been to NYC but these are city folk. They have been through "big" storms before but nothing even comes close to the havoc wreaked by this storm. For many in these communities, boats are stored during the winter, in their driveway or at a protected mooring. FWIU, when the strong winds struck, some residents went to their basements, in fear of windows being blown up. The winds were followed by a storm surge - a 10' wall of water that filled up their basements and drove them back upstairs. In a place like Staten Island, there is no where to go.

Staten Island

A statue stands where George Dresch's house once stood.

Jane Caravello and her son Vincent look for personal items after the storm blew the roof off her home in Staten Island.

No one could prepare for such an unprecedented storm.

24
posted on 11/02/2012 1:24:48 PM PDT
by NYer
("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.